Like a lot of NHL prospects, Jason Zucker is careful when discussing his future as a college player. But the University of Denver wing isn’t shy about his goals.

“Obviously it would be great to play for the Wild next year,” said Zucker, Minnesota’s second-round pick in the 2010 entry draft. “If that happens, it would be fantastic.”

Though the Denver freshman is tearing up the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, that seems like a long shot. Only 19, he still needs to fill out physically, and many aspects of his game need work, notes Wild director of player development Brad Bombardir.

On the other hand, who would have thought a kid from Las Vegas would be knocking on the door at all? Plus, the kid can score. He is third overall in the WCHA in goal scoring with 17 goals among 28 points.

“He’s a very driven kid, very focused,” Bombardir said. “He wants to get better, and he wants to make the NHL. His personality and passion for the game impress me and everybody else. He’ll do what it takes to get there.”

Make no mistake, the Wild like Zucker, who will be in town tonight and Saturday as the fourth-ranked Pioneers (17-6-5, 13-4-3) stand to take sole possession of first place in the WCHA if they can sweep the Gophers (11-11-4, 8-9-3) at Mariucci Arena.

“It’s a great start as a freshman, to come in there and do what he’s done,” Bombardir said. “I wouldn’t say I’m completely surprised, but I’m very happy.”

A NEW FACE

Zucker is in many ways the new face of NHL prospects, a player from a nontraditional market who worked his way up through club, prep, developmental and United States Hockey League teams. He is the only player from Nevada ever drafted but by no means is alone as a Sun Belt talent.

Denver teammate Beau Bennett, Pittsburgh’s top pick in 2010, hails from greater Los Angeles, as does Anaheim’s top 2010 pick, Emerson Etem. Wild prospect Casey Wellman, an undrafted free agent, is from Brentwood, Calif., and played club and USHL hockey before going to the University of Massachusetts.

Though many of the NHL’s nontraditional market teams are struggling, most notably the Phoenix Coyotes, who had to be bailed out by the league, there is no doubt expansion is building a grass roots following in those areas, Denver coach George Gwozdecky said.

“There are three franchises in California itself, and California is producing some really talented players, and many of these kids aren’t stepping onto the ice until their early teens,” Gwozdecky said. “They’re starting in roller hockey, which is building tremendous hand-eye coordination. They’re learning to move the puck through roller hockey.”

That’s how Zucker started playing hockey, inspired by brothers Adam and Evan, who now play roller hockey for the University of Nevada-Las Vegas club team. Zucker’s parents, Steve and Natalie, allowed him at 11 to commute to Los Angeles to play for a club team. From there, he moved to the Compuware team in Michigan, then to the U.S. National Team Development Program in Ann Arbor, where he also graduated from high school.

It was a very different route from most Minnesota players, who tend to stick with their high school programs while playing for elite clubs in the offseason. Gophers coach Don Lucia calls that “a healthy evolution” but acknowledges the growing skill level of players in Triple-A and midget programs in places such as Los Angeles, Chicago, Pittsburgh and the Rocky Mountain region.

“Those are big-time teams,” he said. “They play a long season (September-April) and they travel and their best kids play together. I watch a lot of it; it’s a very good league.”

TRAINING WHEELS

And don’t discredit the roller hockey part, either, Zucker said.

“I credit most of my skill from roller hockey,” he said. “You can ask Beau Bennett the same thing. I don’t know how many Minnesota players play roller hockey, but there are a lot of guys. Look at Bobby Ryan, he’s a first-line guy for Anaheim, so I think roller hockey helps a lot. A lot of people say it hurts; I disagree completely.”

The Wild won’t argue. They traded up to take Zucker with the third of three second-round 2010 picks, 59th overall.

“He has great speed, and he can take advantage of that if he gets a step on a defenseman,” Bombardir said. “A lot of times he’ll beat a guy on his speed alone. And he’s very opportunistic around the net; he has a knack for getting open, finding those soft areas on the ice.”

And he’s not shy about shooting, leading the Pioneers with 107 shots.

“He knows what he wants to do,” Bombardir said. “He gets the puck on the net.”

As for how long he’ll stay at Denver, Zucker said he’s taking it “one week at a time, one game, one practice.” He plans to be at the Wild’s amateur camp this summer and in fall camp if he’s invited.

“If I make it, great,” he said. “If not, I’ll be back here at Denver. I love it here. I have great coaching, great teammates, and we’ll have a real good shot at (a national title), just like we do this year.”

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